Eating breakfast like a caveman

Wednesday

Sep 11, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Every good host tries to accommodate his or her guests' food preferences and desires. You may think you've seen it all, as you've learned to cook for vegetarians, vegans and macrobiotics; for family and friends on gluten-free diets or those allergic to nuts or shellfish; or those who eat only raw food. But you might be surprised to find yourself cooking for cavemen.

Every good host tries to accommodate his or her guests' food preferences and desires. You may think you've seen it all, as you've learned to cook for vegetarians, vegans and macrobiotics; for family and friends on gluten-free diets or those allergic to nuts or shellfish; or those who eat only raw food. But you might be surprised to find yourself cooking for cavemen.

The popularity of the Paleo Diet (aka Paleolithic Diet, Stone Age Diet and Hunter-Gatherer Diet) has modern hosts scrambling to devise menus for the Flintstones.

The Paleo Diet is based on the foods that our ancestors purportedly ate during the Paleolithic era, which ended about 10,000 years ago and preceded the development of agriculture and, hence, of grain-based diets. The emphasis is on fish, meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, roots and nuts. Paleo dieters avoid grains, legumes, dairy products, refined sugar, refined salt, potatoes and certain processed oils.

Our history has been rife with diet plans. According to a recent Health.com report, one of the first "modern" diets was popularized in the 19th century by the English poet Lord Byron, who advocated a vinegar-and-water diet. The 20th century saw the Scarsdale Diet, the Atkins Diet, the Zone Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Tapeworm Diet (don't ask) and others. One of my favorites was the Lucky Strike Diet, a 1920s advertising campaign by the cigarette company to help weight loss with the slogan "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet." Compared to some of these regimens, the Paleo plan sounds sensible.

And I'm not knocking it. I'm just a home cook who has friends with caveman palates, and I'm simply looking for recipes.

Fortunately, they arrived in the form of "Paleo Cooking From Elana's Pantry" by Elana Amsterdam, a gluten-free baker and Paleo eater and blogger (elanaspantry.com). I've especially enjoyed her recipes for a Paleo breakfast — hold the mastodon muffins! — of sausage, frittata and salsa verde. This protein-and-vegetable-rich trio would power anyone's day.

If Fred and Wilma come calling, I'm ready. Yabadabadoo!

Yield: 1½ cups

1 cup olive oil

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (about 1½ cups)

½ bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)

2 sprigs tarragon

1 tablespoon firmly packed lemon zest

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a high-powered blender, puree the olive oil, parsley, cilantro and tarragon until very smooth. Blend in the lemon zest, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.

Cover and set aside until ready to pour on frittata, or store, covered, in a glass jar in fridge for up to 24 hours.

Yield: 8 patties

1½ pounds organic ground pork or turkey

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon honey

1½ teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the ground pork or turkey, sage, rosemary, honey, salt and pepper; use your hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Form the mixture into 8 patties, each about 2¼ inches in diameter.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Cook the patties, turning them once and gently pressing them down to flatten, for 5 to 8 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve. You can keep them warm in a 200-degree oven while you make the frittata.

Yield: 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 head broccoli, sliced into 3-inch spears (about 2 cups)

½ bunch kale, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch strips (about 2 cups)

10 large eggs, whisked

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet set over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the broccoli and sauté for 10 minutes until crisp-tender. Add kale and sauté for 3 minutes until wilted.

Pour the eggs over the vegetables, tilting the skillet to distribute them evenly, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the eggs are set.